This inn, known by the name and sign of the Rose and Crown was built in the 2nd year of William III, in 1689.
When first built, the property was two farm dwellings, and these two with ten others and the church of St. Clement formed the entire parish of Old Romney. The property was then owned by Joseph Pattenden, who commissioned the building of two dwellings, for farm workers of his estate to work in.
The earliest recorded occupancy of the property which then held 16 acres of land mostly pasture with a large parcel of woodland, was one Silas Dix, farmer and grazier in one dwelling on what appears to be a “peppercorn” lease, with his wife Naomi and nine children between the years of 1693 and 1711. By the latter date only the widow Dix is recorded here with four children, Jacob, Esau, Elijah and Ruth and residing in the other dwelling was one Thomas Payne, shepherd of Romney.
In 1738, Joshua Pattenden, son of Joseph, disposed of certain lands and properties of his late fathers estate, of this property he sold 13 acres of land to Thomas Walters of New Romney, however he retained these two dwellings, now occupied by Thomas Slaughter and family and Peter Wyley and family. Of these two, Wyley remained the longest, dying here in 1757, whereafter his widow and son David, a wheelwright occupied the property for a further 11 years. In 1775, executors of the Pattenden estate sold these dwellings to Nathaniel Mittell, a saddler and harness maker of Romney. He occupied one dwelling, whilst appearing to operate a saddlery from the other, a situation that remained until his death in 1803, whereafter his son Simon, by the terms of his fathers will became vested in the property. He is also recorded as a saddler and harness maker, but in 1806, whilst still residing here, he applied for and was granted a licence to sell ales from the premises, which at this date remained untitled, other than it was a beer house of Old Romney.
In 1815, Simon Mittell sold the now thriving ale house, which had come to be commonly called the “Rose and Crown ale house”, to James Johnson, a saddler and beer seller of Snargate parish. He kept the house until his death in 1834, whereafter his widow Mary, took over the house and its ale licence, keeping it, until her own death in 1841. In that year her daughter Jane sold it to Thomas Hoskins, beer retailer. He in 1843 was fined 10 pounds for keeping ale pots of illegal measures and cautioned that he would be fined a further sum if the remainder of his pots did not carry the official county stamp upon them.
In 1848, Hoskins sold the house to Thomas Ramsden, carpenter of Romney. At this date works were carried out and both dwelling made to form one. Upon completion of these works, Ramsden applied for and was granted a full licence for the house and it was registered as the “Rose and Crown” inn. In 1872 Ramsden sold the “Rose and Crown” to another carpenter of Romney, one George Reeves, and he like his predecessor continued to ply his his original trade as well as run the house. In 1887, he sold the “Rose and Crown” to Leonard Wimble, who remained here until 1905, the year in which on Benjamin Thomas took over the house, staying until 1912, when George Apps became keeper. He stayed for until 1925 and in that year one James Owen took over, and stayed for many years to follow.
This document was written when the Rose & Crown was owned and kept by David G Ball and Brian E Cole.